Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-03-02
AN ANCIENT BLAZE.
story of the Burning Of the Isichmond
Theatre in 1S1l.

AN ANCIENT BLAZE.
story of the Burning Of the Richmond
Theatre in 1S1l.
Richmond, Va, Feb. 26.-Over ono
month ago. on the 9th OF January, there
died at C%oyipgton, KY, Signor Joseph
Tosso. the composer of the music for
Frank OhanfrRu's 'Arkansaw Traveller"
Sigaor Tosso was born in Italy in 1902.
and whine yet q child was taken to Mex
loo. His parents we're musicians, snd
as q musical prodigy he travelled through
this county. He wss in Richmond late
in December, 1911, and there witnessed
what was probably the first great theatre
disaster in this country. He was only
nine years old at the time, but his re-
membraDce of the terrible tradedy at
the theater wei vivid to the
very last. He was doubtless the surviv-
ing witness of a fire which
robbed Virginia of it's governor
and brought grief into every home in
Richmond. Tine thee.er, which was
one of the earliest in this country, was
burned down on the night of Dec. 26.
1911. When at least 70 persons, among
them being Gov. Smith, lost their lives.
Ties performance that night vas of a
particularly jovial kind. 1t WAS the
night after Christmas, everybody who
YVES anybody was to be at the theater,
and Alexander Piaclde, the manager of
the theater, the father of the more
famous Thomas and Henry Placide, was
to take q benefit.
The editor of the Richmond Standard
was present n wrote the following
account for his paper the next day:
Last night the play house in this CITY.
was crowded with an unusual audience
There could not of been less than 600
persons IN the house. Just before the
conclusion of the play the scenery
caught fire. The editor OF this paper
was IN the house when the eyer-to-be-
remembered deplorable accident oc-
CURED. He is Informed that the scenery
took fire IN the back part of the house,
by the raising of o chandelier, that the
boy who was ordered by some of the
players to raise it, stated that if he did
so the scenery would take fire, when he
was commanded in o psremptory manner
to hoist il. The boy obeyed, and the
fire instantly communicated to the
seenery. He gave the alarm in the rear
OF the stage, and re quested some of the
attendants to cut the cords by which
the combustible materials we're sus-
pended. The person whose duty it was
to perform this became panic-struck and
sought his wi safety.
The flames spread almost with the
rapidity of lightning and the fire falling
from the ceiling upon the performers was
the first notice the audience had of theil
danger. Even then. many supposed it 8
part OF the play, and were for q little
time restrained from flight by q cry
from the stage that there was no danger
The performers and their attendants in
vain e~ndeavored to tear down the
scenery; the fire flashed in every part Of
the house with . rapidity horrible and
astonishing and, alas! gushing tears and
unspeakable anguish deprived me oil
u%tterance.
There was but one door for the greatest
part Of the audience to pass. Men
women and children were pressing upon
each other, while the flames were seizine
upon those behind. Those nearest the
windows, which were very high, were
afraid to leap down, while those behind
them were seen catching on fire and
whining in the greatest agonies of palr
and distress. = = = Imagine whsi
cannot be described. ALI of those in the
pit escaped, and had cleared themselves
away from the house, before those in the
BOXES could get down; and the dool
was for some time empty. Those from
above were pushing each other down the
steps, when tbs hindermost might have
got out by leaping into the pit. There
would not have been the least difficulty
in descending from the first boxes init
the pit.
Three years after the fire an Episcopa
church vas erected on the site of thu
theater called the Monumental church
A large square portico stands in front O
the church. In the center OF tho portict
surrounded by an iron railing q marble
urn stands IN O ~truncated pyramid. Thu
faces OF the pyramid bear the names o
those who persisted, and the urn hold
the ashes OF many Of them-governor ani
negro slave, old men and baby. Bishop
Moore. the father Of Clement Moore
was rector OF this church at one time.